Grid pasting machine



Aug. 14, 1945. G. A. DQNA TH 2,382,367

GRID PAS'I'INGMACHINE 7 Filed Feb. 28, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 G. A. DONATH GRID PASTING MACHINE I Filed Feb. 28, 1941 Aug. 14, 1945.

' 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 14,.1945. s. A. DONATH GRID PASTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 28, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet a Aug. 14, 1945. G. A. DONATH GRID PASTING MACHINE Fil'ed Feb. 28 I941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 hopper as Patented Aug. 14, 1945- F This invention relates to'maehines" for making storage 1 battery plates and has more particul'ajrly to do with theplacingofitheactive material ifr paste form on ,the lead grids that cqnsti-tute the frames ofthe plates. 1 An object of the invention isjto providea grid; pasting machine that automatic in -pera sri Another object is to provide a; grid-pasting machine that is particularly effeeti've in-applying:

the paste 'to the grids i ri 'tightljz adhering relatieni and with a smooth; exterior surfaee' 1 v Another object is to provide agrid-pasting Inachine that is easily operatedand servicedif 1 Other morespeci-fieobj ectsand features-of-the invention will appear'f-ro'iii" "the detailed descripf tion to follow of a preferred embodiment, as shown in the drawingsi Inthe drawingsr a 1 Fig. 1'i-s a side "elevatio oi agrid-pasting machinein accordancewitrf-the invention;

the=machine, the section being indicatedby the broken line III-III ofFig; 23 w 1.

Fig. 4 is a detail section, taken along the line" 1 Fig. 5 is adetaiL vertical section, taken"along the lineV-V of FigQ2; Fig. (Us a detail,"vertiealsection;=taken along the 1ineVI-'-VI of Fig'j2; H1 1 V Fig. 7 is a detail, horizontalsection,taken'along the1ineVII-VIIof Fig.-1; r U i 1 1111... Fig. 8- is a 1 detail, vertical section; takem along' theline VIII--VI1Z['ofFig."7 ;;I:1-" s 1 A It Fig. 9 is a detail View, taken in the same plane; as Fig. .7, but showing the apparatus in'a different position of operation; w s 11 Fig.. 10 is a side elevation- 0f a grid-raeking mechanism for racking pasted'gri'ds asthevare delivered from the machine; Fig. 11"is a plan view of the. rackingumeGhanism; 1.. r 1 i .f, 1.1. 3. Fig. 1 2-isanend elevation view of one o'f the gridracks shown inFigs: 1f0 -and 1 1 and 1 Q Fig. 13-is a'detailview -of the-Imde'rsiid'e .ofthe it appears when removed from the I-na.--: chine -..1 1 -Referring first to Fig; -1', grids-l are-delivered we pairof-ra'ck rails 1 6- eti 3 input endof'the machine from whieh are fed automatically one "at a time throtigh1 the ma chine." During their-transit through chine; the grids are-'fedWdelow-ahopper taming-paste whichis to be applied-w th grid,

to be paste "Fig.1 2 is a; plan view- 0f -the machine, with' 1 .centainportionsbroken aw ay; I 1 I Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section'thronghattests and a mechenismwithin and at the bottom" of 1 the hopperfills the' intersties in the 1 gridswith: the paste after 1=whieh= the 'grids' are 1 fed out of the m-achi tfe onto'aconveyerliit 1 1 1 i flne ofiithegrids liiiis clearly shown in Fig.9 and 1 tial-ly oblongreticulated piate'havi-ng lugs i 9 extending from eachlendi *Referring tovFfi'g 1, the 1 two t'ack rails lli are- -spaced =apart such a dis-' tame that the lugs l= 9 on the grids rest onthe l rails; andil the bodies of the grids-depend 1 'downwardly betwen the railisa The rai1s are inclined at srich an angle that the grids: slidefdownwardly: therealong under the force of gravity except when they arerestrained byiar sto means inow' to 'be described; nfiieferringi te each of therai1s l6 is' prbvidiedi' with a shoulder-= 1 against 1 which the lugs] 9: omthezl'eading grid norma1lyrest,:thereby preventing the :upper edge of" the: grid 4 from adtzaincingifurtherzm 1 Furthermore; the lower edge of. theufrontl gridlxis prevented from forward movement out of the position shown inFig. 3 by lips 21h. (Fig.16.) 0m foini push rodsdz :whih

areslidablyasupported ior movementin tfdireefi 1 tionipairalleb fiethe grid,:in stationawguides23.- 1

lihe under edge ofii the -leading grid is engaged byitlte; upper: edge :24 of each push rod 22, so that when the; pushsrod' is elevated it-willt elevate the. iiront 'gridi: butaiwlili not elevate the fseoond grid-1. -:;.The:four push rods 22 are alda'pted I to he elevated; periodieailly by arins 26- on' an os'cillatableishafitifl. Shafti2 1 is supportedin stationary hearings-28 .(Eig; 1 3 )1", landl has on t's front end an 1 ed. onxtherfront endsflofi shaft 38, which extends" 535; th r ht), the shoulder 30 (Fig. srbifit q mg clean acrossa mazehinei ming supported in statinnary beanngs omthe-eminent the m'acfiihe; and hasten simiiar dis'e 'on obpositefend whieh is-1 ikeWise coupled use a; 'co ne ctingqrdd sews the nafitsaz Thesha'ft wisrotate sawiat' this-point that recipreates-= the grid-feed ng" slide au m sxm erljreriism, andee 31- approaches. its most advanced 3| engages the arm 29 and rocks the shaft 21 clockwise to lift the push rods 22 and carry the grid newly dislodged from the rack rails I6 has its bottom edge resting on the slide 31, this bottom edge being indicated by the broken line 43 inFig.9. The continuous rotation of the-shaft 38 (Fig.

7) next reciprocates the slide.3IL;and the.rods

48 rearwardly, but the newly deposited gridis, prevented from moving with the slide, by engagement ofits lugs I9 against the frame members 4 I (Fig.9). The rearwardmovement of the slide carries it past the rearedge 43-(Fig. 7) of the grid, and carries the front ends of the arms 48 'rearwardlyof the-lugs I9 on the grid 50- that the ,front end of the grid drops down fiat on the bed, plate 44 oftheimachina;v The slide 31- also rests onv the bed plate and'when it is next advanced it engages the rear edge 43 of the grid, and the front ends of the rods 48 engage. the lugs I9, sov that the grid .isadvanced into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 9, where it is seized by a chain conveyer to be described later andcarriedonward through the machine. While the grid'is in the position. shown in full lines in Fig. 9, a new grid is dislodged fromthe rack rails I6 and drops down into the position indicated'in dotted lines in Fig. 9. As previously described, the lugs of the new grid drop onto: the forwardly extending rods. 48, whichkeep the. new grid; clear of the previously deposited grid untilthe latter has been carried forwardly by thechain'conveyer. I

To prevent possibility of two grids being simultaneously elevated clear of the-shoulders 28 (Fig. 3) on the rack rails jzI6; a pair of adjustable stop members 46 are provided, one on each of the rails I6.- These, stop members 46 are carefully positioned to be clear of the leading grid, but to overlie the upper edges of the grid immediatelyback thereof. They prevent any possi-, bility of the second grid being raised sufi'iciently for its Jugs toclear the shoulder 28. The stops 46 are adjustably mounted in slots provided in brackets 4! (Fig.4) secured to the rails I6, and are locked in position with handle nuts 48.

.The chain conveyer means previously referred 'to for advancingthe grids inthe machine, in-

cludesa set of upper chains 58 (Fig. 3) and a. set of lower chains I'. There. arethree chains in each ,set (the three lower chains are shown in-Fig. 7) The lower chains 5I are stretched between sprockets52 and. 53. The sprockets 52 are mounted on the same shaft 38 that carries the connecting rod drive discs and 35', previously mentioned. The sprockets 53 aremounted on a shaft 54, which is supported in stationary bearings and has on its rear side (Fig. 2) a sprocket 55 'which is driven by a chain 56 from a sprocket ,5! on ashaft 58. Shaft 58 extends through the machine andhas on its front end a sprocket 59 (Fig. 1) coupled by achain 68 to a sprocket 6| on a shaft 62. Sprocket 6| is rotated through a reduction gear box I85 from an electriclmotor 63., l V I rod I4 which forms a part of the frame 68.

The upper chains 58 (Fig. 3) are stretched between sprockets 64 and 65 on shaft-s 66 and 6?, respectively, which shafts are rotatably supported in bearings in a removable frame member 68 (Fig. 5). Shaft 61 is rotated from shaft 54 by intermeshing gears on the rear ends of those shafts. The gear 69 on shaft 61 appears in Fig. 2.

To facilitate servicing and adjustment of the machine, the frame member 68 is adjustably and detachably mounted on the machine. Thus it is guided for'vertical movement by dowel pins I8 (Fig. 5) on the frame of the machine, which slidably engage holes II in the member 68. Its vertical position is determined by adjusting screws I2 which limit downward movement of the member. It is normally helddown by a pair of hooks I3(Fig. 3) which engage opposite ends of a cross The hooks I3 are pivotally connected at their lower ends, as by pins 15, to the forks of a bifurcated lever I6, which forks are fulcrumed at II to the main frame of the machine. The lever is normally urged downwardly by a tension spring I8 stretched between the left end of the lever and the frame of the machine. It will be apparent that the spring I8.yieldably urges the frame 68 responsev to counter-clockwise rocking of the arm 88. When the lever I6 has been elevated by the roller 83, the hooks I3 can beswung clear of the shaft 14, after which the entire assembly including the frame 68 can be lifted off the=machine.

The conveyer chains 58 and 5I are relatively short in the direction of .movement of the grids, but they engage the'grids relatively tightly, and positively advance them. As each grid leaves the chains 58 and 5| it continues to slide along the bed plate 44, being pushed therealong by the grids that follow it. o

During their movement after leaving the conveyer chains 58 and 5|; the grids are held down against the bed plate by side guides 84 (Figs. I and 8) which engage the-lugs I9'of the grids. These guides 84 are made of relatively thin, resilient material and are supported in desired spaced relation above the bed'plate 44 by longitudinal bars 85. The vertical positions of the guides 84 may be varied by employing bars 85 of diiferent thickness. The bars 85 are adjusted laterally to accommodate different widths of grids, and the bars 85 and the guides 84 are provided with 51017586, for hold-down bolts 81, so that they can be adjusted laterally.

As the grids are pushed past thehopper II (Fig. 3) a mechanism within and at the bottom of the-hopper forces paste from the hopper into the interstices in the grids, This mechanism includes a ro1ler88 keyed to ashaft 89 supported in stationary bearings. in the hopper I! and so positioned that its lowerportion almost contacts the grids moving along the bedplate 44. The surface of .the roller has longitudinal flutes 98 therein. for carrying paste, and has circumferential grooves9l which are engaged by fingers 92 extending from the wall 83 of the hopper, (Fig. 13). The paste employed on battery plates is very thick and sticky, and the roller 88 carries an excess of the paste as it rotates; so that some of upwardly over-idler sprockets I49, after which they extend around rear sprockets I50.

' Also mounted on the shaft I48 is a sprocket II. which-supports the rearend of a conveyer chain. I52, thelatter extending horizontally and being.

supported at its forward end by an idler sprocket I53: Theupper reach of the conveyer chain I52 (which is supported .by a plate I54) carries and moves the racks I40, the latter being centered. by

side guide members I55 so that the walls .I4I of the serrated upper edges I42 of the racks. Empty racks I are placed on'theconveyer chain I52.

at intervals asthe filledracks are discharged oi the forward end of the conveyer. i

' The grid-racking mechanism described is driven in synchronism with the pasting machine. To this endthere is provided on the shaft I46. a pair of ratchet wheels I56 adapted to be engaged by pawls I'51 on rocker arms I58 mountedfor free rotation on the shaft I46 and, coupled by connecting rods I59 to crankpins I60 on discs I6I secured to the opposite ends of the shaft I62. This shaft I62 has a sprocket I63 thereon which is driven by a chain I64 from a sprocket I65 on the shaft 38. As the rocker arms I58 are oscillated-in one direction by the connecting rod I59 thepawls I51 engage the ratchet wheels I56 and rockthe latter to a predetermined angle to advance the chains I31 and I52thedistance equal to the pitch of the notches in the racks I,40,-and as the rocker arms I58 return, the pawls I51 slip back over the ratchet teeth.

The hopper I1 is hingedly supported with respect to the bed plate 44 so that the entire hopper assembly can be readily lifted for inspection or servicing. Thus as shown in Fig. 1, a hinged shaftI10 is supported at opposite ends by lugs I'II on the main frame of the. deviceand the shaft I10 is rotatably engaged by-lugs I12 on the side of the hopper. As shown in the plan view of Big. 2, the hinged shaft I10 is positioned in front of the gears 91 and 93 so that the gears do, not prevent the upward swinging movement of the hopper. The rightmost lug I12 on the hopper has attached theretoa downwardly depending arm I13 (Fig. 1) which is pivotally connected to a link I14 (Fig. 2) extending acrossthe machine and'terminating in a handle I15 which ,can be grasped by the operator to tion of the hopper.

.The operationof the machine maybe briefly summarized as follows; f

In response to each forward movement of the connecting rods 33 and 33' thegrid lastdeposited from the rack rails I6 on'to'the plate is ad- :facilitate the elevavanced by the slide 31 .(Fig. 3), and" near the end of the advancing movement of the slide 31 the link 3I (Fig. 6) rocks the arm 29, the shaft 21 and the'arrns 26 toelevate the pushrods'22 and lift the front grid on the rails I6 until its lugs are clea'r'of the shoulders 20 (Fig. 3) ,where-' upon' the front grid swings down onto the bed plate, the lugs of the grid sliding along the armate lower ends I6aof' the rails I6,

The forward feeding movement of the slide 31.

moves the grid directly engaged thereby between the upper and lower conveyer chains 50 and 5I, respectively (Fig. 3), which chains firmly grip rthel grids and positively move them forward towardthe pasting mechanism.

I04, the flexible blades IIO-Work the paste th'or-- oughly into the interstices of the grids and wipe' away the excess paste, after which the grids-move out from below the hopper and between the ironing rollers I20 and I2I onto'the conveyer.

The rotation of wiper roller I04 carries the flexibleblades I I0 thereon past the stationary blade II2 which scrapes the blades H0 clean of paste. Paste is periodically removed from the stationary blade II2 by the rotating element II3, which in turn is continuously scraped clean by the flexible blade II8 which constitutes a retaining wall for the paste in the hopper.

Although for the purpose of explaining the invention a specific embodiment thereof has been described in substantial detail, it is to be understood that various changes may be made in the' particular construction shown without departing from the invention, which is to be limited only to the extent set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus of the type described comprising means supporting grids to be pasted for linear movement in a fixed path, means for moving grids along said path, means driven in synchronism with the movement of said grids for continuously forcing paste'into grids as they move through said path, said pasting means comprising: a pasting roller positioned above said path with its lower surface in close proximity to the upper surface of grids moving along said path, means for supplying paste to the peripheral surface of said roller to transfer paste therefrom to grids moving therebelow, said pasting roller having peripheral grooves in axially spaced relation thereon, and said grid-supporting means comprising longitudinal rails for contacting the upper sides of grids as they move past said rollers, said rails being received in said peripheral groove in said roller.

2. Apparatus of the type described, comprising a hopper, means for moving grids past said hopper, means for delivering excess paste from said hopper to said grids as they move therepast, wiper means, and means for moving said wiper means through a closed path against and then away from grids after they have had paste deposited thereon, said wiper means retaining paste it wipes from the grids, second wiping means engageable with the first wiper means to remove paste therefrom, third revolvable means for removing accumulations of paste from said second wiping means, and fourth wiping means engageable with said third means for wiping paste therefrom, said fourth means constituting a retaining wall for the paste supply in said hopper.

3. In an apparatus for applying paste to a grid, the combination of a paste hopper having a paste delivery throat, means for supporting and advancing a grid, which paste is to be applied below the throat, a paste applying roller mounted within the throat positioned above the grid, said roller having a paste accumulating surface for accumulating paste in the hopper and transferring an excess of paste to the grid and for feeding the paste through the grid, a smooth surfaced roller mounted below the grid at the throat for limiting extrusion of paste through the grid, means beyond the paste applying roller for Wiping excess paste from the upper surface of the grid, and means operable in connection with the latter said means for removing the paste wiped from the upper grid surface, and returning the same to the hopper above the paste-applying roller.

I tating in such direction with respect to the move- 4. Apparatus of the class described, comprising member extending approximately tangential with respect to said axis for wiping against grids moved along said guide means therepast.

5. Apparatus of the type described, comprising means for moving grids one after the other along a linear'path, means at a predetermined pointon said path for applying an excess of paste to. the grids as they move therepast, and means positioned beyond said paste-applying means for wiping said. excess paste from said grids as they move therepast, the latter said means comprising a retatable member mounted for rotation about an axis transverse to the path of said grids, means for rotating said member, a plurality of flexible blades moved by said member for bearing against and wiping the grids as the latter move along said linear path therepast, said rotating member roment of the grids that said flexible blades move past said grid in the direction of travel of the grids but at a faster rate.

6. An apparatus of the type described, comprising means for moving grids one after theother along a linear path, means at apredetermined point on said path for applying an excess of paste to the grids as they move therepast, and means positioned beyond said paste-applying means for wiping excess paste from said grid as they move therepast, said latter means comprising a plurality of flexible blades, means for supporting and moving said blades across and wiping grids moved along said ath therepast, and means for, re-

moving paste from said wiping blades andreturning it to said paste-applying means.

7. Apparatus of the typedescribed, comprising means for moving grids one after the other along a linear path, means at apredetermined point on said path for applying an excess of paste to the grids as they move therepast, and means positioned beyond said paste-applying means for removing said paste from said grids as they move therepast, said latter means comprising a plurality of flexible blades, means for supporting and moving said blades in wiping relation to the grids, means for removing paste from said wiping blades and removing it to said paste-applying meansineluding a stationary blade in the path of said flexible blades whereby the latter deposit their paste on the stationary blade, moving means for periodically wiping accumulated paste from said stationary blade, and means for scraping the paste.

from said last-mentioned means.

GEORGE A. DONATH. 

